Call Me Back When You Get This?
by Vision in Blue
Summary: When the person you want to talk to won't pick up the phone, sometimes, all you can do is leave a message after the tone. That unintentionally rhymed. Takes place after Wish I Were Here until the dance. It's Henry/Natalie, baby!


Call Me Back When You Get This?

**A/n: How many tries did it take you to complete a Henry/Natalie fanfic and publish it here, Allison?**

** Oh, just… -counts on fingers- eight-ish.**

** How long has this been sitting on your hard-drive, half-completed?**

** Oh, just… -counts on fingers- since September.**

** When are you getting around to writing Diana's drabble, an unbirthday/holiday gift, and oh-yeah, that other Henry/Natalie fic? **

** I oughta slug you… (And soon, I hope!!)**

**Inspiration with this? RENT's voicemails (Mark it's the wicked witch of the west- your mother!!). Also, have you ever left long voicemails for people who don't call back/set up their voicemail account? I have, and I felt like Henry would do this…**

**Takes place whenever the Heys would- up until the dance. For the record? Hey #3/Perfect for You (reprise) makes me melt. A lot. I'm such a sap. Enough with me, here's the fic.**

**Disclaimer: If I owned next to normal, don't you think I would have **_**seen it already**_**??**

_Natalie; you've used voicemail before- you know what to do._

Hey, um, it's Henry. I didn't see you at school today- are you sick or something? Could you call me back when you get this?

_Natalie; you've used voicemail before- you know what to do._

Hey, it's Henry…again. You were a no-show at school…again. Do you have swine flu or something? I mean, that's the rumor down at school, along with a few others. It doesn't sound like you, though. Call me back when you get this?

_Natalie; you've used voicemail before- you know what to do._

Henry-do you want to talk or something, because I want to talk to you. In calc today, there was some rumor about Jenna seeing you at some club last night. _You promised you'd stop doing this to yourself_. This was a rumor, right? Call me back?

_Natalie; you've used voicemail before- you know what to do._

Nat, I can't believe this. You said you were going to stop. Do you realize what you're doing to yourself? It's not fair to anybody; not you, not me, not your parents… Call me back, please?

_Natalie; if I don't pick up, either my phone is out of reach or I don't really want to pick up. Probably the latter. Hint._

Natalie, what are you doing? At least you were back in school today…I'm just wondering. Did I do something? You haven't called me back, and you didn't talk to me in history, or LA, or calc, or Home Ec… I'm worried about you. Please call?

_Natalie; if I don't pick up, either my phone is out of reach or I don't really want to pick up. Probably the latter. Hint._

What's wrong? You know if you're having a problem with something, with your mom, your dad, anything really, you can come to me and I won't judge you. Well, I hope you know that, at least… This isn't you, Natalie. What's happening? Call back?

_Natalie; leave a message after the tone if you obviously can't take a hint._

What are you doing to yourself? Why are you doing this? You're going to look back years from now and regret it. C'mon- call back?

_Natalie; I don't know what I'm doing right now- but if you do, leave a message after the tone._

Is there something I'm not getting here? I really want to talk to you. Please call?

_Natalie; I really don't know, Henry. Same old deal- there's a beep, you talk, you hang up, etc._

Are we over? If we are, can you stop being cryptic about it and just tell me? Call me back?

_Natalie; I thought you wanted that. Same shit as before with the beep._

I don't. Maybe you think people have given up on you right now, but listen- I haven't. If I had, then I wouldn't be leaving all these voicemails. We should do something- something fun for a change? There's that dance on March 1… I know it's being hosted by _the student council_, but it's free and it could still be fun, right? Call back?

_Natalie; I'm not going if that's what you're calling to ask. If that's not what you were going to ask, go ahead and leave a message._

C'mon, can you trust me on this? You just need to get out of your house…ok, bad phrasing. Um…we could still have fun, though. Will you go with me?

_Natalie; my answer is still no._

Are you sure?

_Natalie; goodbye, Henry._

If you don't want to go, ok…but could you still call me back?

_Natalie; I've got a chip on my shoulder. Leave a message._

We all come with our own baggage, Nat. None of us deserve to go through it alone. Call back?

_Natalie; it's going to be there regardless. Leave a message._

That might be, but you might feel better if you talk about it, right? Call me back?

_Natalie; Henry, why do you keep calling me? If you accidentally hit the wrong button when dialing this number, just hang up now and don't even take the time to leave a message._

If you picked up the phone once in a while, I wouldn't have to keep calling back. You have time to change your voicemail recording, so I think you can spend a minute or two telling me what the hell is going on. I'm just trying to help, you know, and if you don't want to talk about it then fine, but could you at least talk to me? I miss you… You know what I just realized? The dance is tomorrow. It's annoying, I know, but let's go. Nat, could you please call me back?

_Natalie; no chance, Henry. Sorry? I'm doing you a favor._

No, you're not. Call me back?

_Natalie: Yes, I am._

You're making a big mistake. Call me back?

_Natalie; I don't think so._

Let me know you again, Nat… it's been so long. Whatever happened to goofing off in the practice room talking about what drugs Beethoven did or why certain colors of M&Ms taste better than others? I know shit happens, but it doesn't have to be like this- it's not too late. Call me back?

_Natalie; It's already too late- the universe likes to fuck with me. Leave a message!_

It can't be too late… Why do I get denied? Call me back?

_Natalie; you keep reminding me of me, and how fucked up I've been. There's your answer._

Ok…let's just start over. I think we should just try again, and leave everything that happened behind us and begin anew. Call back?

_Natalie; You just don't give up, do you?_

So don't give up on me. One more chance? Call me back?

_Natalie; …I just don't know._

Ok…how about if I show up tomorrow, and if you're there, we'll go, and if you don't…well…we'll see. Is that ok? Call me back with your response.

_Natalie; I bought a dress. What does that tell you? Leave a message?_

Or you could just leave a new voicemail. I'd be lying if I told you that message didn't make me happy right now. I was just calling to tell you I was leaving in a few minutes, once I can find my left shoe. Call me back if you know where it is, or just to say hi.

_Natalie; I bought a dress. What does that tell you? Leave a message?_

Found my left shoe. Leaving…shit, where'd my ID go? Do you…never mind, I found it. Ok, leaving now. Call me back if you want, but you know, I'm going to be seeing you in, like, ten minutes and I can't talk on the phone and drive at the same time…legally.

_Natalie; Sitting in the waiting room of a doctor's office. Sorry about the dance, Henry- the odds are against me. Leave a message?_

Holy shit, wow. Um…I know those aren't really the words you want to hear right now, but…I had no idea. The music box, your brother, your dad, your mom, you… Yeah. I don't know if you're even going to be able to go to the dance, but I'm here anyway in case you come back. I hope you come back, but if you don't want to after what happened tonight, I'd understand. If you want to talk about this later, though, or, well, anything really, you can just call… Call me back, if not because you want to talk, but to make it look like I'm not just talking to myself-the student council president is staring me down. It could be worse; I could _be_ the student council president.

_Natalie; Sitting in the waiting room of a doctor's office. Sorry about the dance, Henry- the odds are against me. Leave a message?_

Hey, um, I've been here for an hour and a half, and the DJ's kind of running out of songs. They're bringing out Michael Jackson, hits, Nat. Wait…never mind. It's Lady Gaga. Who had the poker face? Um…yeah, I think I'm just going to…wait. I think I see you. This person entered the gym, and she looks kind of like you, and…it is you.

_Natalie-_

Hey, um, I just wanted to say thanks for coming tonight.

_No, thank _you.


End file.
